Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Today's program has as its highlight an interview with Todd Hunt, artistic director for Opera to Go and a discussion of the upcoming Spotlight program. Members of the "cast" were discussed as well as some of the pieces to be sung in the program. A few of those pieces were played on the air. To put one into the mindset of a vocal program the first hour featured some very wonderful vocal recordings. But first -

Oh dear, in love again. That good kind of tired because you stayed up all night with him talking, loving, and making those cute little rituals that will become specially yours as a couple. Sigh, here's some songs to go with this feeling:

Tony Bennet--Trouble is a BubbleJane Monheit--Dancing in the DarkNat King Cole--Let's Fall In LoveBobby Short--I Can't Give You Anything But LoveEtta James--Cry Me a RiverChet Baker--With a Song in My Heart

Tony Bennett--I'm Just a Lucky So and SoCarmen McRae--The Music That Makes Me DanceBillie Holiday--Them There EyesDr. John--Since I Fell For YouNina Simone--I Put a Spell On YouFrank Sinatra & Luther Vandross--The Lady is a TrampDiane Schuur--Toodle Loo on Down

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

This afternoon's program leads off with a conversation with John D'Armand, Music Professor at UAS. His forthcoming Music 123 a "music appreciation" course was the subject along with various composers and conductors.

We continue our listen to the Tony nominated shows this week with Next to Normal. Called a rock musical, this is the story of a woman who struggles with worsening bipolar disorder and explores the effect not only herself but her family. As part of that effect, the show also touches on grieving, suicide, drug abuse, and ethics in modern psychiatry.

This musical (which at times sounds very much like The Who’s Tommy) has gotten consistently good reviews and has been nominated for 11 Tonys. It seems to inhabit the same sort of dark place that Spring Awakening did 2 years ago – good music and great performances in a very dark and disturbing story. I expect this is one of those musicals you need to see, not just listen to.

Hey there kids, I've been more and more excited about the beautiful Spring we are having. And one of my favorite things to do is walk my dog around the block. Funny thing is that my cat likes to join us too! So I decided tpday would be all about dogs and cats. Here is the list of all the artists and song titles:

Friday, May 15, 2009

Diana Krall - Where or When (Rodgers and Hart), Quiet Night (Antonio Carlos Jobim) - both from her brand new CD Quiet Night

Laurie Bono, backed up by Kal David and the Real Deal - Before You Accuse Me (Eugene McDaniel), I Have the Right (Brenda Burns; also covered by Marcia Ball), Help Me (Willie Dixon and Sonny Boy Williamson)

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Greetings on this beautiful spring day, a temperature of 61° this afternoon and a frost advisory for tonight! In the realm of music we celebrate the birthdays of William Grant Still (the 11th) and Gabriel Faueré (the 12th); also there was a premier on this date of Bartok's "The Wooden Prince." So here is the playlist for today:

Haydn: Symphony No. 82, 'L'Ours' in C, Hob. I:82, Sigiswald Kuijken conducting the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Counting down to the TonysThe nominations for the 2009 Tony Awards were announced this week. Four musicals have been nominated as best musical, and we’ll be listening to all those that have released cast recordings.

This week, we spend time with a swamp-dwelling ogre, a talking donkey, a princess in a tower that’s not quite what she seems, and, of course, the evil Lord. Plus every fairy tale creature you have ever heard of. Put them all together and you have Dreamworks Shrek, the Musical. Reviews have been pretty good, and so has award nominations:

Paul Butterfield Blues Band - Everything's Gonna Be All Right, It Hurts Me Too, Piney Brown Blues, That's All Right

Two cuts from a fine Putamayo CD, New Orleans BrassBob French's Original Tuxedo Jazz Band, with vocalist Leon "Kid Chocolate" Brown - St. James Infirmary BluesThe Dirty Dozen Brass Band with Dr. John - It's All Over Now (the song that was the Rolling Stones' first #1 hit in England)

Shauna Lee (from Ketchikan!) - Since I Fell for YouRanee Lee - from the CD Jazz on Broadway - I'm Flying (from Peter Pan), All I Ask of You (from Phantom of the Opera)

Quicksilver Messenger Service - Pride of Man (Hamilton Camp)Leonard Cohen - First We Take Manhattan

Nanci Griffith and the Blue Moon Orchestra - She Ain't Goin' Nowhere (Guy Clark), I Fought the Law (Sonny Curtis, who shares the vocals on this classic made famous by the Bobby Fuller Four in 1967), Not My Way Home (Griffith) - all from her 1997 CD Blue Roses from the Moon

The Bard - Bob Dylan - two from his 1974 GREAT album Blood on the Tracks - You're a Big Girl Now; If You See Her, Say Hello

The Bard again - Just Like a Woman (from his greatest album (imho), 1966's Blonde on Blonde)The Boss - Bruce Springsteen - 4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)

Alison Krauss and Union Station - Two Highways, Teardrops Will Kiss the Morning Dew (from the first Krauss and Union Station album, 1989)Alison Krauss - Too Late to Cry - from her first album, 1987, featuring Sam Bush and Jerry Douglas, later mainstays of Union Station

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Feliz Cinco de Mayo amigos! And it should be a bright, shiny day to celebrate the victory of the Mexican army over the French troops backing Emperor Maximillan. No Mexican music though today. This week contains the joint birthday of Johannes Brahms and Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. This takes place Thursday, the 7th. So for starters we look to Mozart!

Mozart: Symphony No. 26 in E flat, KV 184, Sir Neville Marriner and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields.

Friday, May 1, 2009

MAY DAY... MAY DAY... MAY DAY//// No this is not a cry for help but a celebration of the Merry month of May....May Pole dancing in the studios... Fishing in the May King Salmon Derby in the waters... Walking along our boulevards in the Sun!!! How Exciting!!! HAPPY MAY DAY EVERYONE....

KRNN 102.7

Juneau’s unique home-made public radio tradition of everything from folk to jazz and from world music to the classics. The music is all handpicked and most of the programs are locally hosted by community volunteers who share both a love for music and public radio. KRNN on 102.7 celebrates Juneau’s diversity with an eclectic music schedule, a close connection to the community and a strong sense of place. – radio that’s conversational, curious and authentic.